


Admiration

by Erimentha



Category: Ebon Light (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M, here's to you kir, i have no idea how to describe muscles, literally just Gabi being lowkey thirsty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-10-08 22:19:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17394722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Erimentha/pseuds/Erimentha
Summary: Vadeyn comes back from a patrol drenched from head to toe and Gabi doesn't want him to get sick. They work out a solution.She likes it more than she thought she would.





	Admiration

**Author's Note:**

> Kirlett on the Ebon Light discord wanted Vadeyn with muscles so here it is, featuring her MC Gabrielle!

Gabrielle lingered by the doorway, her brow creased in concern. Vadeyn said he would be back soon, on a quick patrol, but that was well over an hour ago, and the rain had only gotten worse. She would be ready to open the door when his knock came… provided she heard it over the howling of the wind. Gha’alian weather was such a contrast to how things had been on Edric. Cool, dreary, and cloudy on the best of days… that had been her experience thus far.

She wanted to feel the warmth of the sun again, at least _once._

As if waiting for her distraction, a sharp sound came from the other side of the door. Once she opened it, Vadeyn stumbled in, wiping some water off his face. His hair clung to his skin, dark against the pale, but he still offered her a small smile. “All clear out there.”

He was dripping puddles onto the wooden floor – Gabi looked him over in concern. “You’re soaked through!”

He offered her a shrug – once again she was reminded that in spite of his kindness, he had been trained for this, much like Lacey had been. Gabi responded with a frowning pout and looked around. There should have been something that he could use to dry off… no towels, unfortunately, but one of the ragged sheets might do.

“Here,” she all but pressed the bundle of fabric into his hands. “You need to dry off.”

“I’m fine –“

“What if you get sick?”

Her worry carried through her voice. Vadeyn looked away, sighed, and began to dab at his face, then started wringing out his hair. It did little for the rest of him, though, with all those drenched layers. Their eyes met as Gabi was looking up from his chest and she glanced away, feeling her cheeks warm.

When she finally had the courage to look back, his blush had evened out – at least until a shiver ran through him. Their eyes met a second time and she gave him another worried look. His smile was reassuring as he put the sheet down.

It faded as he started to take off his upper layers – a process, considering how the water weighed them down – and wring them out. Then, when he was left with one, he seemed to stop to consider, but then he shivered again.

“Let me –“ Gabi turned to grab the other sheet, but Vadeyn’s hurried, “No, don’t, really,” slowed her. He stripped himself of his shirt and gripped it tight in his hands, wringing it out.

Really, it should have concerned her that the water was pooling on the floor, but she was distracted by – well, she was distracted by his chest. Warm as it was on Edric, she’d seen shirtless men – particularly on the beach, trying to fish – but this was different. This was _Vadeyn._

The low light cast shadows upon his muscles, drawing them into further attention. As he turned to put the shirt aside, hanging it off a chair, she could see his shoulders shifting. His arms – even the small movement drew her gaze to his bicep. Perhaps it was his demeanor, or simply the fact that Lacey was larger, but she never quite thought about what all that training meant for Vadeyn – but now she knew.

He turned, running the sheet down the length of the arm she’d been admiring, and Gabi glanced away, aware she’d been staring.

“I’m sorry,” he started, quietly, and Gabi quickly looked back. He offered her another smile. “I’ll be done drying off in a minute –“

He thought she minded, apparently, but the rest of his words faded somewhat out of her hearing, as a droplet of water ran down a collarbone and started to trail down his chest. Over the definition of one of his pectorals, settling down the lines of his abdomen. It made her see, and what she saw, she admired. And the _things_ the shadows did to that chest made her look away again. She’d always thought of him as a soft person, but that wasn’t the case – not physically. Physically…

It was a dangerous thought, one that made her cheeks flare as it threatened to continue.

“There,” she heard Vadeyn say, and when she turned back he had draped the spare sheet over his shoulders, covering most of his bare chest from view. “That _is_ better,” he admitted with a sheepish laugh. Gabi smiled back at him, though her heart continued to race.

She may not have realized his strength before, but now that she knew – now that she’d _seen_ – she wasn’t certain she could ever forget.   


End file.
